Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-07-15

rapid river. and now on the other. Our
path lay by many rugged and dam
gerous spot; here among clusters OF
heavy beech trees, there among rocks
and gnarled pines, that chung to the
edge of some abyss AS we were above
the snow-line, though there was little
Or no snow on the mountain, the air,
hot as the day was in the valley, was
bracing and delicious. 1t was an in
oxicating pleasure simply to open the
mouth wide, and let the delicious
draughts blow in.
I'm five minutes we are up!' cried
Gretchen, as we rounded very steep
point in the path that had almost
broken our knees and used up our
breath.
Sure enough. one little steep climb
# couple of hundred feet, and we
stood on beautiful plateau covered
with grass. 1t was mile long. and
half mile wide. and seemed like
fairy meadow hung among the clouds.
This is what the Swiss call an "alp,"
md the shepherds, when talking of the
alps, refer to these little green
meadows above the clouds. Gretchen
got her supper from berdsman whom
she knew, and who seemed much to
like her. From me she had the five
frame piece for a new gown, and an
Americans sincere thanks. In ten
minutes she was bouncing. like
scared roe, down the steep sides of the
mountain.
The fact that was member of the
Swiss Alpine Club soon brought me
acquaintance among the half-dozen
lairymen. or ''senns,' as they call
them in the Alps. There were sixty
If the beautiful brown Switzer cows on
the little alp, and six senns to herd
them, and make their milk into
''Schabziger cheese. "
Yes said one of the senns, 81 have
been on this alp all the summers for
seventeen years, and one OF my COM
rades has been here nine summers. The
other young fellows are here for their
first season. We will get the cows in
md MIXED, and after supper l will tell
you something about the cheese"
at is no great secret then, after all, v
I thought, 'if l am to learn it so
EASILY" o.
The chief Sem stepped up on great
bowlder that served as wind-break for
he little hut and gave Swiss ''jodel. "
that peculiar and difficult song of the
nountaineers.
"Ho ALI! no ALI! no ALI no! hu-hu-
ILL hor
None but the strong, practised voice
If the mountaineer. and then only in
he air of the high alps, can safely
venture on the weird melody, which the
ocks take up and reverberate, and far
IF shepherds hear and answer back.
Every COW of the drove, though half a
nile away, knew the senn's jodel, and
slowly marched into the low stone shed
o be MIXED One side of the hut was
boarded off, and there stood dozen
f the soft-eyed, mouse-colored cows,
led all in a row, their heads looking
,ver the manager toward us, seemingly
istening to what We were saying,
While their bells tinkled a curious ac-
compartment. 1t became a little
.hillier, later, and one of the senns
, brought in an enormous armful of dried
Alpine roses. What romantic sort OF
ire it was!
3 1--WE must dig them up by the tens o
Q wagon-loads, said the Sem, 'or the,
r pverrun our meadows and spoil them. ;
( 1t seemed wasteful to be burning
such rare and beautiful things, and
t recalled that down in the valleys, anC
e n the cities, single little bomtonnte
e If them sold for a quarter, and that
| inc bouquet of Alpine roses was WORT
.wo dollars when quite fresh.
n at is bedtime, so let. us turn in,
l vas the command, ''for we are up il
5 he morning at four o'clock.
t There was but one bed for sever
e men. 1t was made of number o
.ude poles, laid together, side by side
: resembling a corduroy bridge. Gu
:. bedding was hay. pu!verized to fine
J, less from much use. Oar covering
;, heavy canvas tarpaulin. Seven mer
h IN seven poles, sleeping under one tan
|. paulin! AS tried and tried to slice
hat night. the cow-bells that ha
seemed to tinkle so sweetly the nigh
a before, became great annoyance
~ Would they never stop their rattle? |
1t spite of them, l did sleep, at last, Ii
l. lie, and then other things conspired
wake me.
e One was the deep snoring of my 81
comrades under the tarpaulin. Anotl
a er was an army of what NJ ark Twai
I'd once described as the ''Swiss chamois.
" They were, in fact, simply mounta
lie heas; but most superior in size. AT
g numerous in quantity. What with Il
tn shores, the feas, the hard poles, al
I'd the cow-bells, real sleep, even rest, b
ne came out of the question. 1t W
lie after midnight, and the full moon wa
r. up. Without taking the trouble
.;r mako a toilet I went ont of (